Transfers: England man expected to leave as Newcastle deal was approved line up move

Transfers: England man expected to leave as Newcastle deal was approved line up move

Newcastle United look ready to strengthen in midfield this summer.

Since the takeover, Bruno Guimaraes is the only player in the position to have been signed, such was the need to strengthen pretty much everywhere else.

Now, however, things are changing.

Arguably the bulk of the players – and there have been a lot of them – linked with a move to Newcastle have been midfielders.

Gabri Veiga, Dominik Szoboszlai and Scott McTominay have been all touted as targets.

Conor Gallagher now expected to leave Chelsea amid claims Newcastle want to sign him
Indeed, football.london claim Conor Gallagher is expected to leave Chelsea this summer.

Newcastle are reportedly weighing up a move for the England international but there’s a problem.

Further reports suggest the 23-year-old could be valued at as high as £50m by those at Stamford Bridge, with Newcastle thought to value Gallagher at around half of that.

The player is said to be expected to call an end to his time in west London and both West Ham and Liverpool have also been credited with an interest.

Gallagher might not be what Newcastle are looking for
Though hailed as a “perfect” signing by pundit Ally McCoist, Newcastle surely have other midfield priorities.

The club are said to know Guimaraes was playing outside of his best position for much of the season just gone, with the Brazilian operating in a deeper role due to Jonjo Shelvey’s injury and subsequent exit.

While strength in depth is obviously a good thing ahead of the Champions League campaign, the recruitment team should surely prioritise a move for a more recognised defensive option over Gallagher.

Guimaraes has publicly said he wishes to play further forward and much of Gallagher’s career appearances have come in a more advanced role.

Ideally, someone to unleash Guimaraes would arrive first.

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Newcastle could sign ‘the best young right-back in the world’ for just £17m – report

Newcastle United have been heavily linked with Ivan Fresneda in recent months.

Now, with the summer transfer window upon us, the Magpies have a chance to strike while the iron’s hot.

Newcastle finished in the Premier League’s top four, granting them a place in the Champions League.

This will give the Magpies considerable pull when it comes to attracting the world’s top talents.

At the same time, Newcastle are seemingly still looking to be sensible and shrewd in the transfer market.

According to 90Min, the Magpies are looking at a host of players from relegated clubs in England and elsewhere.

Newcastle are apparently still eyeing Fresneda, whose Real Valladolid side have dropped to the Spanish second tier.

90Min claim that the 18-year-old’s release clause of €40million has halved due to Valladolid’s relegation.

This means the Magpies could potentially sign the exciting full-back for just €20million (£17million) this summer.

Newcastle are vying for Fresneda along the likes of Arsenal, Aston Villa and Borussia Dortmund, added the report.

Our view

Newcastle could do with bolstering their full-back ranks ahead of a huge 2023-24 campaign.

And Fresneda is one of the best young players in European football at present.

Indeed, he may well be ‘the best young right-back in the world’, as per scouting website FootTheBall.

At just 18 years of age, Fresneda has already made 26 competitive appearances for his club.

And at just £17million, he’d be a bargain for the likes of Newcastle, but unsurprisingly, competition for him is fierce.

That said, Newcastle certainly have significant pull. They’re in the Champions League and their future looks bright.

In addition, having Kieran Trippier – who impressed in La Liga – at St James’ Park may well be another incentive.

Fresneda would be able to learn from one of the best full-backs in the game.

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Newcastle United identify five summer transfer targets

Exclusive: Newcastle eyeing moves for players from relegated sides to help bolster their squad ahead of next season

Newcastle United’s desire to extract value for money out of a difficult summer window has led them to explore bids for a clutch of players relegated from the Premier League.

Leeds United’s versatile midfielder Tyler Adams, Southampton duo Kyle Walker-Peters and Romeo Lavia, as well as Leicester City pair Harvey Barnes and James Maddison, have all been discussed since the end of the season.

Southampton’s England international, James Ward-Prowse, is also of interest, although the fact he will be 29-years-old later this year, and has an asking price of more than £50 million, means that deal is less attractive at this stage.

Newcastle have spoken publicly and privately about a desire to sign two or three “elite players” this summer as they prepare for their return to the Champions League after a 20-year absence. That is still the case, but it does not mean they are not looking to stretch their transfer budget as far as it will go.

Sources have told Telegraph Sport that the prices being quoted to Newcastle at the moment are “extremely high”, raising the issue of the so-called “Newcastle tax”, with clubs asking for more money from the Saudi Arabian owned clubs than other interested parties.

With deals for the likes Bayer Leverkusen’s Moussa Diaby and RB Leipzig’s Dominik Szoboszlai proving problematic due to a combination of high transfer fees and extravagant wage demands which make those transfers unlikely, Newcastle are trying to be clever with their recruitment

Newcastle are attracted to versatility of Tyler Adams CREDIT: AP Photo/Rui Vieira

Adams was arguably Leeds’ best player last season, and also thrived at the World Cup in December with the USA national side, before his season was ended by a hamstring injury back in March that required surgery.

Sources have also indicated that Newcastle were impressed by Adams’ character and combative nature when he played at St James’ Park during a goalless draw on New Year’s Day. The 24-year-old, who arrived at Leeds from RB Leipzig for just £20 million last summer, is also able to play wide or through the middle in midfield and can also be deployed as a wing back and would hopefully be available for less than £30 million.

Another player who impressed Newcastle’s staff during their meetings last season is Walker-Peters.

The former Tottenham prospect, who has been capped twice by England, can play at both left and right back which would make him a perfect hybrid player for manager Eddie Howe.

The 26-year-old has refused to commit to staying at Southampton following relegation and could be available for a fee of around £15 million, whereas Arsenal are asking for more than £30 million for Scotland international Kieran Tierney.

Newcastle know they are not the only club tracking Lavia, after the former Manchester City youngster impressed in his first season as a Premier League starter, but keeping up to date with developments. Howe has traditionally favoured signing players with experience of English football.

Newcastle’s interest in Maddison is long-standing and they failed with a £50 million bid last summer. A similar fee is currently being discussed, although the club know they face competition from Tottenham Hotspur for the England international, who has previously indicated a desire to play in the capital.

Newcastle, though, are able to offer Champions League football and sources close to the player have revealed he is tempted by the idea of a move to the North East.

Barnes is another potentially appealing option given he was Leicester’s top goalscorer in the Premier League last season with 13 goals and Newcastle are keen to add more goals from wide areas next term.

Leicester are expected to sell both Barnes and Maddison this summer to raise funds for their rebuild in the Championship.

The feeling is relegated clubs will be far more willing to negotiate earlier in the window which means Newcastle can look to make some early progress in their summer recruitment.

Newcastle want to sign a right-sided centre back, a full back, two central midfielders and a wide forward this summer as they look to add more strength in depth to the squad in order to cope with the extra demands of European football.